A Call to Repentance

There is much being said about Ted Haggard today. Haggard is the elected leader of the National Association of Evangelicals. He is a pastor, and he is in trouble. Accusations have been made that Haggard was sexually involved with another man and used crystal meth. It's like so many other incidents of accusations. There's nothing to prove the claim, but there also seems to be very little motive to falsely accuse.

Haggard, for his part, has denied the story in increasingly less believable ways. In a recent interview, Haggard admits to buying meth but says that he threw it away when he realized that it was wrong. I didn't believe Bill Clinton (in fact, I never believed him). Unfortunately, I can't believe Haggard, either.

In all of this, Evangelicalism will take a huge hit. This situation will be used to show Evangelicals as hypocrital, phony, and power-hungry. The sad part is that we deserve it. We have enjoyed access to the political system, to Congress, and to the White House far too much. We have looked for help from men and chariots. And we have grown prideful with haughty eyes and lying tongues. Haggard's sad situation is only a symptom of a larger issue.

As a self-professed Evangelical, I am calling for repentance, not just from Haggard but from all Evangelicals. Our focus has changed from giving glory to God and transforming the world through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have left our first love. I am truly sorry for this. We have tarnished our witness by abusing power and wealth. Now, we should humble ourselves in order that God might show us grace.

I truly believe that God can and will redeem the worst of situations. Perhaps from this experience, the focus of the Evangelical world will change from worrying about what will happen on November 7 to transforming lives and the world through the gospel, power, and grace of Jesus Christ.

James Messes with Us Again

If you didn't know, James isn't just the long name for Jim (why is that anyway? It doesn't take long to say, "James.")

James is also a book in the Bible. It is a difficult book for us to read, challenging and straightforward. In fact, there were some who suggested that it be left out of the Bible. Yet, in the wisdom of the ages, we have kept James as a part of the Canon, and it is extremely valuable today.

Recently, I was convicted by James 5:1-4. Read it and weep. We are all so rich! If you don't believe me, stop using your computer to read this blog! There are two things that stood out as I read this passage.

1.) In America, we are blind to our wealth. This is shown through our constant appeal to comparative wealth. Television shows like "The Fabulous Life of ..." helps us to not see our own wealth and comfort. That's bad enough. But our blindness goes deeper. We apparently can't see the suffering and death of the poor. We aren't rich? Don't we have clean water? Cures for disease? Access to basic healthcare?

2.) When James talks about the field worker, many feel let off the hook. "For listen, hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you." My first response to this was, "Get 'em James. Those wealthy companies should pay their workers better. We should raise minimum wage to a living wage. Down with big business! I don't have anyone working for me. I have no harvesters in the field."

Then, I was convicted. See, we live in a consumer-driven economy. In fact, one of the most stated business mantras is still, "The customer is always right." If that is true, then I (as a consumer) am empowered to be an employer. Every time I buy something at the grocery store, I am "employing" a long line of folks from the person who harvested the crop to the person who packaged the product to the person who delivered the goods to the person who stocked the shelves to the person who scanned the barcode. In a real sense, I am to act as a responsible employer of each one of those individuals. It is empowering and a bit scary.

Read James. Be empowered. Be scared.

Wiggles Pics!

Here are some Wiggles pics!


Patiently waiting with roses for Dorothy the Dinosaur



Phoebe channeled the Bangles and began to "Walk Like an Egyptian"



This is Murray receiving drawings that Brasher made just for the Wiggles.



Murray again. This time shaking Brasher's hand.



Check out Brasher and Phoebe's moves!


As you can see, we all had a blast!

The Wiggles LIVE

We have just returned from the most exciting experience we have had as a family since the birth of William and Wesley. Brasher, Phoebe, Christina, and I saw the Wiggles in Mobile tonight. It was amazing! Really, it was.

Here are some of the highlights (pics on the way):

1. Shaking hands with Murray and handing him pictures that Brasher drew for them.
2. Having Anthony wave at Phoebe as he was playing the drums.
3. Captain Feathersword ran through the crowd right beside us.

What amazed me was how absolutely personal the Wiggles were. There were thousands of kids there. But, by running through the arena, chatting with folks in between numbers, and being informal enough to laugh at one another during skits, they made each person seem like they were there just for them.

Can this tell us something about corporate worship?

Auburn's Academic Scandal

Scandal has hit Auburn University, my alma mater "on the rolling plains of Dixie, 'neath the sun kissed sky."

It seems that a sociology professor has been overseeing many students' independent studies and requiring little or no effort. This would not be such big news if not for the fact that 25 percent of the students were football players. The requirements of the independent study were to 1) read a book (presumably more involved than "Horton Hears a Who"), 2) have several face-to-face meetings with the professor, and 3) write a five (5) page paper.

Wait till you hear this: This was first reported on the FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES! Hello! There are several wars happening in the middle east, and the front page of the NYT is about the bad decisions of a sociology professor at public university? Beyond the question of whether this is truly a problem I have a couple of thoughts.

1. I took several classes at Auburn that didn't require much more than what these independent study students were required. I know, admitting that doesn't look good for my alma mater. But, really, it isn't Harvard. It isn't Duke. It isn't Vandy.

2. We've still beaten Alabama four times in a row.

Cosmo's Story

Cosmo has been a part of our lives for over 10 years. When Christina and I were dating, we found a litter of kittens under the "shack" that I was living in. The mother cat had moved the litter and left two scrawny kittens behind. So, my roommates (including this guy) and I took care of the little kittens. The kittens were named Eugene and Cosmo. We fed the kittens through syringes and tiny bottles. We gave them shots and nustled them close to us to keep them warm.

Eugene and Cosmo got stronger and stronger until it came time for us to split them up. Christina and I were getting married, and Cosmo came with us. Rob and Crystal became the caregivers for Eugene. We really wanted to call Cosmo "Slim" (for his chances of living), but he grew into a healthy cat. After our second child (Phoebe) was born, we realized that space in our home was at a premium. We now had two adults, two babies, and two cats! Thankfully, this guy, who had a lifetime hatred of cats (not to mention his allergies), had said that if he were to own any cat, Cosmo would be the one. A week later, I took Nolan to Wal-Mart and bought him a Cosmo start up kit complete with food and litter box with litter.

Now, two years later, Nolan is getting married to this girl and they are going to this school which doesn't allow cats in the student housing. Cosmo needed a place to live for nine months! With two more babies, taking Cosmo back would have been very difficult. I told Nolan that if we took Cosmo back, our household would be so chaotic that something would have to die (and it wasn't going to be my wife, my children, or me). So, the search was on for a hero.

And I think we have a winner.

THANK YOU DREW AND LESLIE!

You're So Right, Carl.

Carl Stephens has been a fixture in Auburn athletics for 43 years. Stephens has announced that he is retiring. Most recently, he has had one of my dream jobs, stadium public address at Auburn football and basketball games.

"For the fans outside the stadium..." Nothing is more exciting to a young Tiger fan than to hear that booming voice count down to kickoff.

Prior to his PA work, Stephens was the host of the Auburn Football Review television show with Coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan.

"You're so right, Carl."

Interestingly, the man taking over his PA duties will be Ric Smith, who was my teacher in a Radio Management class at Auburn. Smith's first gig will be A-Day this Saturday. Good luck. Big shoes to fill.

In a statement, atheltic director Jay Jacobs said, "Carl Stephens has been an outstanding ambassador for Auburn athletics and this University."

You're so right, Jay.

Crunchy Cons

I was turned onto Crunchy Cons by a friend, Damon Gibbs. It is an excellent treatise on a phenomenon that seems to be growing throughout American politics. There is a rising group of conservatives that cares more about community than individuality, beauty than profit, simplicy than commercialism.

Rod Dreher lines out several ways that the Crunchy Cons are hoping to live. He links the Crunchy Cons' basic beliefs to a conservatism that is the foundation of modern conservative thought. I am excited about the book, particularly to see the conversation that it starts.

Next Up in the Johari World

Okay, so a couple of friends (Rob and Nolan) have already posted about Johari. I thought I would as well.

Click here to help me "see" how others perceive me. It seems like a pretty interesting excercise.

You may want to complete your own test. If so, click here.

The Forgotten Promise: Part Deux

******WARNING: EXTREME THEOLOGICAL CONTENT******

Let me recap yesterday's blog.

God made three promises to Abraham.
1. His family would be a great nation
2. Land
3. That they would be a blessing to all the earth

The Hebrew people seemed to forget the third promise. Instead, they focused on promises one and two.

Now, what about the church? Through Jesus, we are grafted into Abraham's family. Thus, we are grafted into this promise. How are we doing? I fear that we are forgetting the third promise as well.

1. Great Nation
In the age of the mega church, it is not hard to see how important numbers are to the church as we go about our business. We go to great lengths to grow and to sustain. I'll give you an example. There is always great interest in a list of North America's largest churches. The scandal recently was when Willow Creek dropped from the top spot on that list.

The goal for many of the "successful" churches is to simply take in more members than leave.

What's more, our membership is mostly made of Christians that we have poached from other congregations. We take great pride in wonderful programs at the church. But, they mostly attract folks who are already a part of another church. Instead of doing the difficult work of real evangelism and dealing with folks that may not be as "together" as some of our church goers, we stick with a chase for people who look and act like us.

Plus, I'm not even going to delve into the whole line of thought that is circulating among fundamentalists that America is the "new Israel."

2. Land
We love our land. We love it so much that we close the doors to the building so that it will be safe. We protect our land, just like Israel. If there is a weakness in someone who owns land adjacent to the church, we swoop in to take it over.

I truly believe that there is nothing wrong with nice facilities. The real problem arises when we seek to keep the community out.

3. Blessing to all the earth
The church is about Good News. Yet, it seems that we are much more willing to do the things it takes to build a great nation and protect our land. We have a great opportunity to offer the world, including our own communities, hope and love and forgiveness.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have neglected the third promise as well.

The Forgotten Promise

*******WARNING: EXTREME THEOLOGICAL CONTENT********

The real foundation of the world's greatest religions is the covenant that God made with Abraham. It is the formation of the Hebrew people and Judaism. It is the covenant that Christians are grafted into. And, it is the covenant that propelled Abraham and Sarah to go to extreme measures in fertility. Thus, Ishmael (and eventually Islam) was born.

Why don't we study more about the covenant?

I have been struck recently by the promises made in the covenant. It seems that three promises were given. The first two we know well. The third is forgotten.

1. God promised to make Abraham a great nation. (Descendants)
2. God promised to give land for this great nation.
3. God promised that Abraham's family would be a blessing to all the earth.

Much of the violence in the Middle East can be traced back to the first two promises. And, it seems that througout the history of the Hebrew people and Israel, the focus has been on attaining a great nation and land, even at the expense of being a blessing to all nations.

The truth is that God needed Israel to fulfill all of these promises. They were his people set apart for this work of calling all people to himself.

Unfortunately, in this situation, two out of three is bad. It's easy to see how being totally focused on numbers and land could limit Israel's ability to be a blessing.

What would it look like if Israel had fulfilled that promise?

Tomorrow: Has the Church forgotten the promise?

Terrorism: Right Here in Alabama

In the past week, nine churches in rural Alabama have been burned by arsonists. Five were burned in Bibb County (south of B'ham) Friday, February 3. Four were burned in the west Alabama counties of Sumter, Greene, and Pickens on Tuesday, February 7.

We don't know much about these fires. We don't know why they were started. We don't know if there is any correlation between the two sets of fires. We don't know if there were any racial motivations. Four of the first five churches were predominantly white. All four of Tuesday's rash were predominantly black.

I do know that if this happened in Mobile, we would feal terrorized and fearful. I also know that churches from around the state and region would come to our help, bringing us hope and strength.

Could there be a stronger message than for these nine churches to be rebuilt and resotred, maybe better and stronger than ever? It would tell the terrorists that the Gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't concede to evil. It would also tell people who live in the ashes of burned and broken lives that the church has Good News to share about a God who has the power to heal and make new.

In rural communities, it is often the case that churches are the center of community life. Please pray for these churches, their pastors, and their communities.

Now Playing for Auburn University.....Bryant Miller

I always wanted my name called out over the PA system at Jordan-Hare Stadium. In the next couple of years, if Carl Stephens doesn't enunciate too well, I will get my wish.

Bryant Miller has signed a letter of intent to recieve a scholarship from Auburn University and play football there. There are, of course, some major differences between Brian Miller and Bryant Miller. For example, I hope that he doesn't have four children. Also, Bryant is 6-3, 233. He runs a reported 4.78 in the 40 yard dash. Oh, also, he's African-American. But then again, when I dance, people refer to me as a black man trapped in a white man's body.

Make no mistake. Bryant Miller will be a star for Auburn. I can't wait to see him in Navy and Burnt Orange.

"....at Defensive End, Bri(y)an(t) Miller."